


Scary, scary, scary

by Modlisznik



Category: The Technomancer (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chronic Pain, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sickfic, it takes a village to rise a child, military setting, or in this case, to force the captain to take some goddamn rest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-21 19:20:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18146354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Modlisznik/pseuds/Modlisznik
Summary: Sean tries to act like it's nothing. Zach is having none of it. Thankfully, the others have his back....or my first attempt at writing a sickfic.Sort of spin-off to Children of a Lesser God, placed somewhere after the 6th chapter, but can be read as stand-alone with only minor confusion for the Reader.





	Scary, scary, scary

 

 

Sean's scars are beautiful, Zach thinks, and it was easy for him to assume that they should just be there - mosaics of lines and marks, some noticeable under his touch, some not, just a shade paler on the already pale skin. Not unlike the white hair and wrinkles in the corners of his eyes, they just were there, the markings of the long road travelled, and Zach traced every one of them with his fingertips, with his lips, so many times - as everything else about Sean, he found them beautiful. Perfect, even.

Perhaps because he wasn't there to see them as wounds, he wonders now, it was easy to think that they should just be there. But now Sean tries to stand up and falls back on the sheets, and a stifled gasp escapes his mouth. And Zach sees - wrapping his arm around Sean's arched back, still warm from sleep - he sees, that perfect as it is, a human body can take only so much.

\- What's wrong? - Zach drags himself closer, not only because Sean's attempt of getting out of bed pulled the blanket off his shoulder, and the cold air bites his skin.

\- I'll… just a moment - Sean murmurs in response. His breath is quick and shallow. - I'll dress up in a moment.

Sean is still very much human.

\- Stay in bed.

\- Nonsense. - The word is Sean's, but the muffled voice is not, and it worries Zach more than that gasp of pain. - I have my duties.

\- Are you sick?

\- I'm fine.

\- Like fuck you are.

Sean sighs through gritted teeth.

\- It's just pain. It'll pass. Just… give me a moment, no?

"Just pain" is outside of Zach's field of expertise in dealing with hurt. Cuts, bruises he could tend to, broken bones he could constrain until someone more capable will arrive. But a pain without a wound? What can be done with flesh that just relives the past hurt?

(Oh but he knows invisible pain, yes he does, all these times before when the creature had turned on him instead of on the world outside, and he just crawled up in some dark space, his knees pulled to chest, hoping nobody will find him, and waited, waited for it to end.)

(What had he wanted then?)

...Oh.

Sean tries to support himself on his arm and falls down again, panting.

\- I _hate_ when it does that. It just won't... obey...

\- It's your body, Sean, not a regiment of infantry; you can't beat it into submission.

The huff suggests that the mancer has an opinion on this, but it doesn't evolve into one of his usual rants (a worrying thing in and of itself). 

Zach kisses the nape of Sean's neck and rises up, tucks him in the blanket to keep the warmth close. Reaches for his uniform.

\- I'll doubt you'll want to eat, but I'll get you something to drink, no?

\- You don't need to.

\- But I want to. You wait here, no? Just a moment, as you said. Then we'll see.

\- ...what a stubborn creature you are - he grumbles, but it sounds more like him and doesn't try to move anymore. A victory, small as it is.

The air outside of their tent under one of Taiko's wings - theirs, from some time already, and everyone knows it, and no ill word has ever been said - is even colder, and Zach rubs his arms to warm himself up, breath escaping from his mouth in white puffs. The camp is mostly awake already, people tending to their duties, quiet like ghosts, eyes still hazy from sleep. Heading to the kitchen, Zach exchanges a few greetings, until he sees Yao waving at him from their nest, that is, Musashi's cockpit.

(Yao refuses to sleep on the ground, so it's only fair that the vehicle they're spending most of their time driving serves them as their bed, too. Besides, they snore terribly.)

\- Alone? - Yao grins and yawns, their hair still a mess, eyes half-closed. - Hope you guys didn't fight or anything.

\- Nah, we're fine. At least I am.

\- Oh? - Yao blinked, rubbed their eyes.

\- He's… I think he's in pain, and I want him to rest, but…

\- Say no more. Now he's gonna grit his teeth and pretend that everything's fine until his leg finally gives up under him and he's gonna be all offended that he has human flesh. - They sigh dramatically.

\- Been there before, I see.

\- It happens. To the best of us, I mean… - they pat the stump of their leg, the bird-like claws locked in place. - ...shit is hard. It won't hold together on duct tape and a few screws; he needs to take it easy.

\- I'm trying to make him.

\- Good! You go. He's not listening to me when I'm trying to tell him that I can keep this show running for a day, seriously. I got this. He's a magnificent bastard and we all love him, but this shit ain't helping anyone.

\- I will say him that - Zach nods - in the exact words.

\- You do that. And if you'll need to restrain him, for his own good, I have all sorts of chains and ropes here. You know… - They wiggle their eyebrows.

Zach laughs, feeling the blush crawling up his cheeks.

\- Not in the mood today, but… we may get back to it, no?

There's a line to the kitchen already, so it takes some time for him to reach Benevolence. The food smells good, whatever it is, and Zach hopes that there'll be something left for him too when he'll return here with his bowl.

\- Just a tea for now - he explains, seeing her puzzled look. - For Sean.

\- Yes. - She smiles and reaches for a cup. - You know, he can take his own tea, yes? Don't let him… - she clicks her tongue (it was their own language, he realized only recently - not just searching for the right word, but switching to one only she and Malevolence could understand; there was so much about Mutants for him to learn). - Sweet? Sweet-sweet? - She points at the tea.

Ever since Benevolence discovered sugar, no tea was left unsweetened.

And Sean likes sweets, no?

\- Sweet-sweet - he decides, and she nods approvingly. - And it's not like he sent me here to fetch it for him; just he's not feeling well and…

\- O? What is it? - Benevolence frowns and adds another portion of sugar, making the tea sweet-sweet-sweet. - Head? Stomach?

Zach shrugs.

\- Just… pain.

\- No - she declares, putting the cup in Zach's hands. - Then this one is for you, yes? For the pain, I have something. - She reaches for another cup, then pulls a little bag from a satchel on her belt. There's dark dust inside; it smells of smoke. - It's bitter-bitter-bitter, make sure he drinks all.

\- I will. - He hopes that Sean won't have a different idea about this.

\- You can just chew on it but works good when drunk, yes. It was so, the whole… - The clicking noise. - ...everyone gives up their share of water for the day so we can make medicine. It's fine for the one to not drink that day so the another won't feel pain, yes. Yes, yes, yes.

Zach bites his lips, trying to come up with anything to say.

\- Thank you, Benevolence.

\- A lot of water here. - She smiles. - You go.

It's getting warmer already as he heads back to their tent, two cups in his hands, so careful to not spill even a drop.

Thankfully, he finds Sean where he left him, curled up under blankets. (It's heartbreaking, seeing him like this.) Zach leaves the cups on the ground and kneels down by Sean's head, strokes his hair, trying to neat it up. His hand still carries the warmth of the tea and Sean's eyelids flutter.

His lips are tightened and pale

\- I brought you something to drink - Zach says, brushing off a stubborn strand of hair on Sean's temple. - From Benevolence. It will help you.

Sean doesn't protest. Zach helps him sit up, his left hand supporting Sean's back, carefully, carefully.

\- It's very bitter - he warns, but Sean doesn't protest, tiredness written on his face. It's a long fight, the one against the pain, and it's exhausting. He drinks it all without a scowl.

\- It tastes terrible - he whispers, probably only to make Zach smile.

So he does. Then carefully, he puts Sean's head back on the pillow.

\- Try to sleep now, no? We got this, Yao and I… well, mostly Yao - he chuckles. - You don't worry about a thing, no? I'll wake you up if we'll need to move.

\- Thank you, Zach.

Zach leans down and kisses the white hair.

Then he sits with him for a while, until Sean's breath finally becomes calm and deep, fingers clenched on the blankets relaxes. Sleep finally took him, Zach thinks, but then Sean speaks again.

\- My Master was quiet in his pain - he whispers, his eyes closed - so secretive about the illness eating him from the inside. So scary thing for a kid, to watch and pretend to not see. Scary, scary, scary.

Is it Sean, or the medicine talking? Zach takes his hand.

\- Tell me about your Master.

\- He's shorter than me - he replies, so Zach knows, that there's at least a part of Sean still conscious. - He has trembling hands and gentle voice. Keeps photographs of the dead pinned to the wall and lefts cookies for us living so we won't feel lonely.

\- Seems like a good Master.

\- The best. - The palest shade of a smile. - He'd love you. So stubborn, so kind. I just wish he… wasn't so afraid… to look weak.

Zach leans down, kisses Sean's hand.

\- Rest now. I'm here.

He's with him, when Sean finally falls asleep. The fight against pain is long and exhausting one, and the victory never lasts. But he won't be fighting alone, not anymore.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for stopping by! :*


End file.
